Letters in Support of Princeton Council Candidates

I support Jenny because she questions easy assumptions, taking a broad view of each question as it comes before the council. As a current council member, she is a recognized advocate for neighborhoods, one who believes in protecting Princeton’s small-town character. We can count on Jenny to represent us fairly and objectively.

I support Leticia because, like Jenny, she is a worker, someone who sets out to solve problems and follows through. She sets concrete goals and achieves them.

The town’s civil rights commission was long ago folded into the Human Services Commission. Leticia, believing it should be revived, formed an advisory committee, studied Princeton’s civil rights experience and interviewed previous commission members. As a result, Princeton is expected to introduce an ordinance later this month re-establishing an independent civil rights commission.

As chair of the Board of LALDEF, when the Mercer County Community ID card program was terminated here in Princeton due to location and staffing issues, and knowing how important the ID is to many members of our community, Leticia and Bill Wakefield worked with a group of talented volunteers to make the ID card available at the Princeton Public Library on a weekly basis. The
Community ID cards help non-driving senior citizens and disabled individuals as well as non-citizens. Since the program was introduced at the library, more than 100 have been issued, 40 of them this month alone.

Leticia is an experienced professional negotiator and arbitrator who can work “across the aisle,” with different personalities and in response to different needs. She will be a creative and independent.

My two votes go to Jenny Crumiller and Leticia Fraga.

Mary Clurman

Crumiller Asks the Right Questions

To the Editor:

I am writing to support the candidacy of Jenny Crumiller for Princeton Council. She has consistently questioned authority, and advocated zoning and other policies and regulations that will keep neighborhoods from becoming absorbed in a faceless city. She is a thoughtful steward of the community, and an advocate for the variety and diversity that we cherish.

When she was elected president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization some years ago, it was as a reformer, to open up the group and make it more widely representative. I look forward to her election to Council to continue to play that role in the wider arena.

She is the candidate with the widest experience and the strongest record of accomplishments. It gives me pleasure to endorse her for another term on Princeton Council.

Peter Lindenfeld

Neumann Does Her Homework

I choose Anne Waldron Neumann for council in the Princeton Democratic primaries on June 7th. A long time Princeton resident, Anne has produced tangible results in affordable housing, zoning, lowering taxes, and so forth.

I have great respect for her generosity, her fierce intelligence, her indefatigable determination to attain success in progressive causes, dear to her heart.

Anne does her homework. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of all sorts of topics relatable to the important issues of this town.
Like all of us, Anne welcomes changes that benefit the town and its people. She is capable of moving forward if enough thoughts and fairness are part of the decisions.

Anne understands how important are the town-gown relations; however, she will fight for what is only fair, no strings attached.
And this is why Anne Waldron Neumann has my vote, hands down.
I encourage you all to check her impressive resume and progressive goals at her website anneneumannforcouncil.weebly.com

Sandra Bierman

Princeton Needs Quinn’s Experience on School Board

To the Editor:

Princeton’s Council needs the skilled, experienced and fiscally responsible leadership of Tim Quinn. As former members of the Princeton Board of Education, we saw his first-hand consensus building, and genuine respect for our town. His leadership on the Board helped save Princeton’s pre-K program and improved its focus on vulnerable and under-represented students. He helped Princeton buck the state trend of charging for sports participation or reducing arts and music in schools. Instead of taking the easy way out, he steered the Board toward thoughtful and fiscally responsible solutions to budget pressures.

Tim is a civic-minded and collaborative leader. We urge Princeton residents to support Tim Quinn for Princeton Council.

Anne Burns

Neumann’s Insights an Asset to Princeton

Over the next few weeks, registered Princeton Democrats will have the opportunity to evaluate the perspectives and agendas of the candidates running in the June primary.

Anne Neumann possesses a pragmatic insight into Princeton’s problems and needs and a willingness to examine the issues to find solutions. Her experience of civic involvement has afforded her insight into the workings of municipal government and, as a long-time resident, she has a unique perspective on our character and sense of place.

Anne’s forward-thinking initiatives focus on affordability, the environment and sustainability, as well as maintaining the character of our unique neighborhoods. Among her initiatives she advocates for the creation of a volunteer economic development commission to promote new businesses and to bring to fruition the consolidation
promise to establish Neighborhood Advisory Councils aimed at better communicating the specific concerns affecting localized residents. She proposes the adoption of zoning ordinances that facilitate private solutions to affordable housing such as accessory
dwelling units and micro-housing. And as the municipality struggles to harmonize and adopt zoning policies, Anne calls for the expedited passage of a temporary moratorium on new construction to protect neighborhoods from over-development.

Anne possesses the intellect and tenacity to research effective ways to govern and to move Princeton forward. Please join me in voting for Anne on June 7th so Princeton can benefit from her varied experience as she furthers her commitment to public service by
offering fresh ideas to create an even better community.

Kate Warren

Leticia Fraga Running for the Right Reasons

When I hear that someone is running for town council, the skeptic in me naturally wonders: Why? It’s an often-thankless job that probably pays about $3 an hour.

I didn’t have any questions when I heard Leticia Fraga was running for Princeton Council. I’ve known Leticia for more than 10 years, and her life’s work has been about helping others — bringing together people to make her community a better place. Her reward is simply the inherent satisfaction that comes from solving problems.

If that all sounds a little too sentimental for your political tastes, please understand that Leticia also has the experience and is willing to do the hard work to get things done. Her career includes serving as a professional civil rights enforcement investigator and facilitator, resolving cases that saved taxpayers hundred of thousands of dollars. As a volunteer in Princeton, she has helped launch programs that have provided meals to underprivileged children and ID cards to underrepresented adults.

In short, Leticia combines a “can do” attitude with a natural knack for relating to people from all backgrounds. If you want a council member who is interested in accountability, affordability and social justice, vote for Leticia Fraga in the Democratic Primary on June 7.

Chris Johnson

Quinn Will Add ‘Great Value’ to Council

To the Editor,

I have known Tim Quinn for over a decade and I support his candidacy for Princeton Council. I first met Tim when I was working as director of development at Princeton Public Library. It soon became apparent to me that Tim loved Princeton and had a deep understanding of our diverse town. He was equally comfortable interacting with trustees, town council, donors and library customers from all walks of life. He was a strong advocate for providing services to library customers and the town in general. His exemplary work at the library during Superstorm Sandy highlighted his dedication to our town. His leadership was instrumental in keeping the library open during the days following the storm, when thousands of people in Princeton were without power.

He brought a similar passion to his work on the Princeton Board of Education and his steadfast leadership during his time as president of the board helped our school district through a leadership transition, among other challenges. My two daughters, and many other families in town, benefitted from his leadership.

Tim is a great listener, collaborator and values the opinions of others. He is deliberative and gathers information before reaching a conclusion about a particular topic. Having considered an issue, Tim is able to explain complex policy matters in a way that makes sense. His understanding of local institutions, businesses and Princeton’s history inform all of his work.

I think he’d add great value to Princeton Council.

Lindsey Forden

Fraga Will Give Voice to the Voiceless

To the Editor:

What I can tell you about Leticia Fraga is that she is a great friend to all of Princeton. That includes those whom she knows and others she has not yet met. Every person in every neighborhood matters to her.

As a Council member, she will be a voice for the unheard of Princeton. In the years that I have known her, she has been a champion for civil rights and a passionate advocate for social justice. These are the qualities we need to carry our recently consolidated town into the future. Leticia takes pride in all that Princeton has to offer and she will work to see that all are included to share in Princeton’s continued and new prosperity.

Old-school values like hard work, integrity, untiring commitment and endless generosity are what define Leticia. She works tirelessly to tackle social issues of great concern in our community. Child hunger, affordable housing, educational opportunity, civil rights, traffic safety: Leticia goes all out to advance inclusion and to make our great community even better.

Thomas Parker

Crumiller is a Hard Worker Who Listens

Dear Editor:

We write to urge Princeton voters to consider at least three reasons to support Jenny Crumiller for re-election to Town Council.

First, she is an extraordinary talent. Jenny finished college while she and her husband Jon were raising three children in Princeton. She finished her degree at Rutgers and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Second, she is dedicated to community. Long before running for office, she was a go-to volunteer in school and church activities. As a concerned citizen, she never failed to answer the call to protect neighborhoods, promote diversity or defend civil rights.

Third, she is an effective member of Council. In her first four years, Jenny has worked hard for the success of consolidation; and she is determined that it continue to deliver quality services at affordable cost. She has helped produce affordable housing for our most vulnerable citizens. She is working with our mayor and others to address neighborhood preservation. She has collaborated with the university on accessible public transit and with the police department on improving the safety of our streets for bicycles and pedestrians.

Jenny is Council’s representative on the planning board while also serving on a broad range of Council committees responsible for the nuts and bolts of government. Jenny understands the challenges facing Princeton and is equipped to address them. She is committed
to maintain Princeton’s historic character and to ensure its affordability for all citizens.

We have known Jenny for 30 years. She is accessible. She listens. She involves people. Princeton cannot ask for more in a public servant.

Walter and Mary Bliss

Neumann a Unique Voice for Positive Change

When Anne Neumann asked for my support in her bid to join Princeton’s municipal leadership team I said yes without hesitation. First of all she is her own person, with her own perspective shaped by years of varying experiences in public service.

One of her most endearing attributes is that she supports affordable housing, because she understands the importance and historical significance of cultural diversity in our town. She is for a “Princeton
preference” offering affordable housing to Princeton residents where possible and an advocate for having older residents age in place. She understands the need for fiscal responsibility to insure that
municipal services are supplied in a cost effective manner.

Anne exhibits clear thinking when arguing that both the University and the town rely heavily on each other and that the relationship between the two entities should be fair and equitable. To that end she favors an increase in Payment in Lieu of Taxes along with a predictable formula for growth by making a correlation between the universities annual income and the fairly assessed value of its real property.

Whenever I have heard Anne speak in public forums she had always stood up and solidly represented social justice issues while advocating for the whole of Princeton. She supports paid sick leave for full-part time workers, and a hire-local program.

Anne can be trusted to keep her word and has the unique ability to think outside the box when solving problems. She is an active listener, perhaps the most important characteristic of effective leadership.

Lastly, she is running for council because she genuinely cares about our town, and wants to make it better and more livable for all its residents. She is deserving of both your confidence and your vote.

Sincerely,

Leighton Newlin

Leticia Fraga ‘Uniquely Qualified’ for Council

To the Editor:

We are fortunate to have many qualified people running for Council. Leticia Fraga, however, is uniquely qualified to address some of the critical issues facing our community.

Affordable housing in Princeton becomes a bigger challenge every year as home prices rise. Working people have already been forced to leave the community because they could no longer afford to live here and the situation is getting worse, not better.

Princeton also needs a police and community relations committee to foster dialogue between our citizens and law enforcement. The controversy concerning the recent arrest of a Princeton University professor shows how badly this discussion is needed.

To address these needs effectively, Council needs a person with deep roots in the parts of our community that are most affected and understands their needs. That person is Leticia Fraga. She worked tirelessly on these issues and demonstrated the ability to work with people from all walks of life and to get things done.

We need Leticia Fraga on Council.

Lewis Maltby

Crumiller Willing to Speak Hard Truths

To the Editor:

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I saw Jenny Crumiller’s husband Jon at Ace Hardware. He mentioned that they had participated in the “Let It Go: Princeton Community Yard Sale” and that Jenny had decided not to charge for anything. I immediately asked jokingly if they had put up a sign saying “Free stuff! Vote for Jenny!” We then agreed that there is no such thing as “free stuff,” and went our
separate ways.

This brief conversation reminded me why we need to re-elect Jenny to Princeton Council. “The truth is there is no free parking. Someone has to pay for it,” Jenny said at a Council meeting in September 2015 during a discussion of the costs to the town of providing a subsidy for two hours of free parking to every Princeton Public Library cardholder.

Princeton Council is currently reviewing the budget, looking for ways to cut $150,000 so as to pare down an increase in property taxes.

Residents should be aware that only about 23 cents of every dollar collected in property taxes goes to the town. The Princeton School Board controls the lion’s share of our tax dollars, more than 50% and growing, and Mercer County gets the remainder. The largest increases in property taxes are beyond the control of Princeton Council.

We need a frank assessment of the choices available to residents, and Jenny will provide just that. She has an impeccable record of supporting progressive values—visit jennycrumiller.com to read what she has done for Princeton and what her goals are for the future—but we also need the unvarnished and sometimes
unpopular truths that Jenny is willing to articulate.

Jenny will help us make budget decisions that support our values and get us the most for our money. She will listen to us, tell us the truth, and do her best to make wise decisions for our future. Vote to reelect Jenny Crumiller to Princeton Council!

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